Heel stamping machine



June 5, 1934. M, w HQWARD 1,961,219

HEEL STAMPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13. 1932' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1934. w HOWARD 1,961,219

HEEL STAMPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 5, 1934. M, w, uow fip 1,961,219

HEEL STAMPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED STATES HEEL STAMPING MACHINE Merton W. Howard, Haverhill, Mass, assigncr to Pope Machinery Corp oration, Haverhill, Masa,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 13,

Claims.

This invention relates to machines for stamping the size, style, trade mark or other marks of identification in the seats of shoe heels.

Shoes are usually made in so-called case lots 5 of various sizes and if they are fitted with wood heels there is a corresponding case of wood heels to be made, comprising heels of the proper style, height and sizes to fit the shoes. It is essential that the marking in the heel seats re- 0 mains legible not only through the heel finishing operations and for the wood heeler when he attaches the heel to the shoe, but also throughout the life of the shoe so that in case heel replacements are desired they can be ordered from the data stamped in the seat of the heel.

If the heel is of wood the cement used for attaching the cover necessarily extends into the heel seat and in subsequent operations collects considerable dirt and soil which makes it difficult to read the markings if stamped with inked rubber stamps.

Many wood heels are painted or sprayed with lacquer finishes which require an impressed marking, as any surface marking, such as ink stamping, would be completely covered up.

Marking placed near the middle of the heel seat is often obscured or obliterated in later finishingoperations by the impressions of corrugated clamping jaws or supporting posts on the various finishing machines.

Therefore, the desirable marking is a deep impression made in the back part of the seat by an inked steel stamp, the ink increasing the legibility on heels that are not sprayed or painted.

When steel stamps have been used heretofore it has been the practice to hold the heel by hand with its toplift face bearing flat on a plate or table while the power driven stamps make their impression. This is a fairly satisfactory method as far as the location of the stamping is concerned when the heel seat plane is nearly parallel with the plane of the toplift face and when a line perpendicular to the heel seat plane drawn through the center of the stamp area falls within the area of the toplift face.

These conditions occur only in low Cuban or Military types of heels of which relatively few are used. In the more popular Louis type the seat is always at an angle of from to 25 degrees with the plane of the toplift face and a line perpendicular to the stamping area falls far outside the toplift area, thus producing a condition of unbalanced stresses under which unsatisfactory stamping and broken heels are liable r to occur. v V

Machines of this type are constructed in such form as to require the operator to position and hold the heel by hand while being stamped, the stamping being accomplished either by continuous repetition of the stamping movement,

1932, Serial No. 628,680

or by foot pedal or other manual single stroke operation.

It is obvious that either of these methods require labor, skill and close attention on the part of the operator.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a machine into which heels can be dropped at any time without special care as to placement and which will accept heels faster than the fastest operator can feed them and will then automatically feed them into the stamping position, center them accurately, stamp them in the most advantageous area with deeply impressed inked steel stamps, and deliver them into a barrel or other container.

To these ends a machine embodying the invention in its preferred form includes an inclined table fitted with adjustable flared entrance side guides which straighten and center each heel as it slides down by gravity with its concavedseat surface against the inclined table to a timed release lever, automatic means for withdrawing said lever at a predetermined time to permit said heel to slide further down under a top support, over the steel stamps and against a back support, power operated means for inking said stamps and lifting them forcibly against and into said heel seat thereby lifting the heel until its top contacts with the top support which in conjunction with the back support holds the heel firmly and without marring while the heavy stamping pressure is being applied, automatic means for withdrawing the stamps and the back support, thus allowing the stamped heel to continue its gravity slide out of the machine, means for resetting the back support and for again withdrawing the release lever and allowing another heel to slide into stamping position.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation and it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims hereto appended or the requirements of the prior art.

Theinvention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an .elevational view of a machine em bodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the machine as viewed from the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail of a portion of the elevational view.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, 10 denotes the frame of the machine which is suitably designed to provide the necessary bearings, supports and guides for the various parts hereinafter described.

Journalled in the frame is a power shaft 11 adapted to receive a motor drive not-shown, having thereon a cam 12 adapted to engage cam roll 13 mounted on shaft 14 in lever 15 journalled on shaft 16 suitably mounted in frame 10. Slidably mounted on lever 15 is wedge 16-a controlled by a screw 18 held in position by lug 19, collar 20, and hand wheel 21. Screw 18 is held in any desired position by lock nut 22.

Engaging the top surface of wedge 16-a is roll 23 turning on shaft 24 mounted in stamp slide 25 sliding in guide block 26 and guide'block cover 2'7. Stamp slide 25 carries removable stamp basket 28 holding stamps 29.

To'insure that stamp slide 25 will get the full and true action of cam 12 tension spring 30 is connected between pin 31 inserted in cam roll shaft 24 pin 32 inserted in cam roll shaft 114. Also lever 15 is assisted in following cam 12 by anchoring tension spring 33, whose principal function will hereinafter be described, to lug 34 vin such manner as to exert a strong downward pressurev on lever 15 thus assisting gravity in causing cam roll 13 to keep in contact with cam 12 throughout its revolution.

The height to which stamps 29 are lifted by the action of cam 12 is adjustable within the required range, hereinafter described, by the setting of wedge 16-.-a, undercontrol of handwheel 21 and associated parts.

Also mounted on shaft 11 is cam 35 engaging cam roll 36 mounted on shaft 37 held in lever 38 which is mounted on shaft 39 suitably journalled in frame 10. Roll 36 is held in contact with cam 35 by tension spring 33. Connected to lever 38 by means of rod 40, eye castings 41 and 42 and shafts 43 and 44, is back support 45, slidably mounted on rods 46 and against guides 47. As controlled by cam 35 back support acts to stop and position heel 48 as it slides down by gravity on table 49 from position in which heel 50 is shown in Fig. 1. In addition to acting as a positioning stop, back support 45 acting in cooperation with top support 51 serves to hold heel 48 firmly but without damage against the heavy thrust of stamps 29.

The top support 51 is locked to frame 10 in any required position-by bolt 87 through slot 52..

The heels are guided during their gravity slide down table 49 by guides 53 and auxiliary guides 54 best shown in Fig. 2. Guides 53 and 54 are adjusted. to the size of the heel by right and left hand-threaded screw 59 which serves to keep the opening central on table 49*. Guides are locked in position by screws 60. Guides 53 include overhanging lips 61 to enclose the flared sides of heel 50 for more complete guidance prior to its reaching the additional support of back support 45. Lips 61 also act to prevent heel 50 from tipping. over when it reaches release lever pins 62a hereinafter described. To permit lifting of heel 48 against top support 51 the sides of auxiliary guides 54 are made perpendicular totable 49. On account of varying angles of flare in different styles of heels it is desirable that auxiliary guides 54 be adjustably mounted on guides 53 which is accomplished-by means of slots 63 and. locking screws 64. This'permits a setting such that when the heel leaves the lip controlof guides-53 the edges of the heel seat will have only slight clearance to slide between the perpendicular sides of auxiliary guides 54. Auxiliary guides 54 acting in conjunction with back support 45 which is shaped to form a centering crotch serve to accurately locate heel 48 over stamps 29 in position to be stamped. Further control of heel 48 as it is lifted by stamps 29 against top support 51 .isafforded by auxiliary back support 57 held in position by bolt 58.

To permit placement of the stamping in any desired longitudinal position in the heel seat,

back support '45 is made adjustable by means of slot .55 and locking bolt 56. To insure against marring the back surface of the heel when stamps are impressedfacings 65 of leather or other yielding material are fastened to the contact face of back support 45.

Also mounted on power shaft 11 is cam 66 which operates on roll 67 carried by lever 68 which is mounted on studi69 suitablyv inserted in frame 10. Tension spring 70 anchored to pin 71 inserted in frame lovactsto keep roll 67 in contact with cam 66.

When stamps29 are withdrawn to their lowest position by action of cam 12, ink roll '72 carried on bell crank lever 73 mounted on .pin 74 is moved over topsof stamps 29 applying ink thereto, and then withdrawn .to position shown in Fig. l by action of cam 66 working through lever 68. Holding ink roll into gentle contact with stamps 29 is tension spring 75 acting between bell crank "73 and lever '68. Stop screw '76 locked by nut 77 limits the action of spring 75.

Also carried by lever 68 is lever 78 mounted on stud 80 and carrying cam plate 81 which engages the upper surface of pin 82 mounted on lever 62 as lever 68 moves away from position shown in Fig. 1, under control of cam 66, causing release lever pins 62a to be withdrawn-below the surface of table 49. Release lever 62 is mounted on stud 83 anchored in table 49 and is normally held up against the bottom of its slot in table 49 in position as shown in Fig. 1 by tension spring 84. On the return movement of lever 68 to .position shown in Fig. 1 cam plate 81 engages the under side of pin 82 causing lever '78 to pivot on its stud 80 against the pull of tension spring 79 and thus allow cam plate 81 to pass under pin 82 without moving lever 62. Spring 79 then returns lever '78 to its normal position against stop screw 85 locked by look nut 86 as shown in Fig. 1.

In operation the proper stamps 29 having been inserted in the removable stamp basket 28 and the basket and stamps having been dropped into stamp slide 25, the guides 53 and 54 are set to allow theheels which are to be stamped to slide freely between them but without unnecessary looseness. Then having turned the power shaft 11 by hand until back support 45 is in its lowest position as shown in Fig. 1, and stamps 29 are withdrawn below the surface of table 49, a heel is then placed in the loading position and allowed to slide down against release lever pins 62a, which are then pushed down below the table surface by hand, allowing the heel to continue its gravity slide until it reaches back support 45. Top support 51 is then set at a height so that the heel can slide under it without contact, but with only slight clearance, and positioned so that toplift end of heel will contact with said top support when the stamping pressure is applied.

Top support 51 is then looked in the desired position by bolt 8'7 which holds said top support by friction only thus allowing a universal setting of said top support within the range of slot 52, which is sufficient to cover all requirements. Auxiliary back support 57 is then moved into contact with the heel and locked by bolt 58 as shown in Fig. 1.

The machine can now be started up under power and a trial heel dropped into the loading position. If the stamps and back support happen to be in the right position to receive the heel, release lever pins 62a will have been automatically withdrawn below the table surface and the heel will slide without stop into position to be stamped. If the stamps and supports are not in the right position in the cycle of operation to receive the heel, release lever pins 62-a, projecting above table 49 into the path of the heel will stop and hold said heel until the supporting and stamping mechanisms are ready to receive it. It will thus be seen that regardless of the time heels are dropped into the machine the timed release lever 62 will allow them to slide into the stamping position one by one at the time the holding and stamping mechanisms are in proper position to receive and stamp them.

Release lever pins 62a project above table 49 only far enough to engage the edge or rim of the heel seat, and not far enough to reach any part of the concaved seat surface of the heel. Release lever pins 62-a can therefore be withdrawn below the table surface only briefly, allowing them to return to their heel engaging position above the table surface early enough so that if two or more heels are placed in the loading position at the same time they will be released for stamping one at a time. This timed feeding of the heels, one at a time, into the stamping position, regardless of when the operator drops them into the loading position constitutes one of the principal features of this invention, in that any operator from the slowest to the fastest can attain his maximum production, the machine being capable, without adjustment, of accepting heels at any attainable frequency of insertion.

Proceeding with the operation, the heel having reached its stamping position against back support 45 as shown by dotted line position of heel 48 in Fig. 1, the stamps 29, having been inked by ink roll '72, as heretofore described, are lifted up into contact with the concaved part of the heel seat thus lifting the heel up away from the surface of the table under guidance of guides 54, the crotchshaped back support and the auxiliary back support 57 until it contacts with top support 51 upon which further movement of the stamps produce the desired inked indentation of the identification characters. Simultaneously with the withdrawal of the stamps, the back support 45 is lifted high enough to allow the stamped heel to slide by gravity into a basket or other container, thus completing the cycle of operations.

It will be understood that the machine runs at a constant speed, each revolution of cam shaft 11 completing one cycle, each cycle being capable of completing the stamping of one heel, and the revolutions per minute of said shaft being greater than the number of heels per minute the fastest operator can insert into the machine.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a heel stamping machine, means providing a heel conducting guideway inclined longitudinally between the vertical and horizontal, stamping mechanism in stamping position beneath the guideway, a pair of heel guiding plates on opposite sides of the guideway at the stamping position, a pair of heel guiding plates on opposite sides of the guideway above the first named plates and having portions overhanging the guideway and adapted to engage the tapered sides of heels passing down the guideway, said plates being adjustable toward and from the guideway, and means above the guideway for receiving the ends of the heels and taking the thrust thereof in the stamping operation.

2. In a heel stamping machine, means providing a heel conducting guideway inclined longitudinally between the vertical and horizontal, stamping mechanism in stamping position beneath the guideway, means including a movable stop adjacent to said position for engaging and holding a heel while being stamped at said position, a power driven shaft, means including a cam on the shaft for driving the stamping mechanism to stamp said heel, and means including another cam on the shaft for thereafter moving said stop upwardly to a position permitting the heel to pass thereunder and then returning the stop to its heel holding position.

3. In a heel stamping machine, means providing a heel conducting guideway inclined longitudinally between the vertical and horizontal, stamping mechanism in stamping position beneath the guideway, means including a movable stop adjacent to said position for engaging and holding a heel while being stamped at said position, power driven means for driving the stamping mechanism to stamp said heel and thereafter move said stop to a position permitting the heel to pass downwardly away from said position, a bridge extending over the guideway above the stamping position and adapted to be engaged by and limit upward movement of the heel in the stamping operation, and a guiding member movable with the stop and projecting upwardly of the guideway in position to engage heels located beneath the bridge and aid in locating such heels relative to their engagement with the bridge.

4. In a heel stamping machine, means providing a heel conducting guideway inclined longitudinally between the vertical and horizontal, stamping mechanism in stamping position beneath the guideway, heel guiding plates on opposite sides of the guideway at the stamping position and upwardly of the guideway therefrom and having portions overhanging the guideway upwardly thereof from the stamping position and adapted to engage the tapered sides of heels passing down the guideway, said plates being adjustable toward and from the guideway, and means above the guideway for receiving the ends of the heels and taking the thrust thereof in the stamping operation.

5. In a heel stamping machine, means providing a heel conducting guideway inclined longitudinally between the vertical and horizontal, stamping mechanism in stamping position beneath the guideway, a pair of heel guiding plates on opposite sides of the guideway at the stamping position, said plates being adjustable toward and from the guideway, means above the guideway for receiving the ends of the heels and taking t -e thrust thereof in the stamping operation, and heel engaging means overhanging the guideway upwardly thereof from the stamping position and adapted to prevent the heels from tipping over downwardly of the guideway.

MERTON W. HOWARD. 

